A free Entertainment

Nothing comes free and that I am sure, time and again I have been fooled many times and each time disappointed. I have learnt this long ago but how do I explain to my friend who is always looking for freebees and tagging me along? And Me, never able to refuse, always suffer a silent death. This evening was a free pass to some musical show-cum-stage show and my friend calls me up to accompany her to this show. Now I had already reserved this evening for a book launch at Crossword. I wanted to attend this launch because I was attracted by the title and the promising story of 5 Sindhi ladies. A book called ‘Beyond Diamond rings' by Kusum Choppra. Here I was asking my friend to accompany me to this book launch and she was flashing free passes. I finally relented, just rushed to crossword, picked up the book, could not meet the author (since they are late comers and don’t start the program as schedule, supposed to start at 7pm but till 730, there was no sign of the author nor any audience, just a flute player playing music till the author arrives, I would have loved to hear her talk about what inspired her to write this book and which was her favorite passage) anyways, my friend couldn’t wait for me to enjoy such luxuries, so I rushed off with her to attend this show at Rabindra Natya Mandir at Prabhadevi

I was surprised by the loud music of drum being played at the entrance to welcome the guests. There were cameras flashing at every guest. Never before have I attended any stage show with such loud reception. I asked her whether we were attending some festival or some wedding occasion, but all she knew was that she was attending some show that was free and it had snacks and drinks on the house too. I just followed her, picked up my share of snack and drinks and entered the auditorium to wait for the program to start.

We sat near the exit and watched every guest that entered the auditorium. It seemed like a fashion parade. Most of the audience was either Sikh or Punjabi, and every body was a guest. Well, it turned out that this was just a promotion program for the upcoming TV serial to go on air on Doordarshan from 13th April onwards at 10pm, every Tuesday. The TV serial on life of 'Maharaja Ranjit Singh'. The 52 episode serial by Ral Babbar Film pvt limited, is a historical epic story of Ranjit Singh, the warrior who protected the borders from Ladakh to Punjab. A few hundred Sikhs, living on their horsebacks were ever ready to challenge the might of the invaders. The Sikhs were victims of a number of massacres both at the hands of the Mughals as well as the Afghans, which only made their resolve stronger.

So here I was, not attending any stage-play or musical show but attending a serial-promotion show. No Surprises then that drinks and snack were free and the program was fully sponsored by serial producers.

Over the next two hours, we heard different people relating the story and the behind the scene stories, Jaggit Singh who has sung for this serial gave a part of his performance, and then we were introduced to all those people who contributed to this serial and finally some film shots on the big screen.
Ah so boring…well, it was free.. so no complains.

However, I think I would have still preferred the reading at the Crossword.

Exotic Meals

When cooking is a pain, salad is the better option and happy that I like salads because it is just boil and mix.

Last night I went for marketing and brought lots of veggies. When I was back home after shopping, I organized everything immediately, boiled those small potatoes and steamed corn and fresh mung.

In the morning I was ready to make salad for me. Mixed boiled potatoes, steamed mung and steamed corn, added sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and carrots, added dried herbs, lime juice and salt, mixed little mustard oil and served with millet crackers and dip.

I make small quantity of dip at a time. Normally my friends use hung yogurt. But I just take a normal yogurt, add cream cheese. Next add black pepper, salt and dried herbs and little bit of coriander leaves.

I just had salad and noodles soup. It’s a complete meal and I kinda enjoy it, a day without too much of masalas and no headache of cooking too.

Classic Shopping

Last week I went with my NRI guest to a private fashion designer to see her new range of private collection. She had suits, kurtis and saris, all artistically embroidered with colorful stones, crystals and gold/silver cords and lace. The workmanship was quite neat, so was her price. Each suit was not less than seven grand and some as high as twenty to thirty grand. She showed us the collection of about ten different items, of which my guest bought one sari, one suit and one embroidered blouse. She spent total of forty-five grand.

This week I went with another NRI guest for shopping. We went to Palliadium, the new mall at Pheonix mills at Parel. The mall reeks of luxury, shiny floors and sparkling windows. But where are the shoppers? This is the new mall which will house branded fashion designers. Should I quote the price? Ah! I entered one store and liked one sari but after seeing the price tag, I decided I don’t like it. I would never be able to afford two hundred grand for a sari/suit which I would not have an occasion to wear more than once. Who has spoilt our Indian market? Blame it on NRI’s. Only women with Dollars/Euros will be able to afford such luxury. But wait a minute; I did see few Indians too. They went into the stores, studied the designs and I presumed that they were the fashion designers who would clone these designs and sell it at cheaper price from their private garage.

In Mumbai, there are many such women who work from home. All they need is good tailors, good collection of fashion catalogues, a nice camera to capture the designs when the salesman is not watching and few friends who can spread the word around for them. My friend tells me that latest trends can be copied from popular TV serials. But, to my knowledge, all the clothes that are worn by actors in TV serials are freely available in those common markets at Santa Cruz, Bandra, Breach Candy and Dadar.

But real trendy and latest designs can only be found in designer studios or in private homes.

This week we went to many designer studios and my guest splurges at every store and spends ninety grand in one day! Her shopping included just one sari, few suits, footwear, and two branded purses. Wow!

I blessed my stars for not having such expensive taste. Actually, expensive stuff doesn’t suit me.

I just wear a smile.

Tofu..I seem to like it

It is soft.

Well, it depends on the type I am having right now, but it is much, much better than paneer, actually I don't like paneer and I eat it only when I have to...that is when it is too rude to refuse.

Therefore I was happy to get some great tips on getting a perfect bite

and even more happy when another friend willing shared her recipe of tofu with bell pepper with me

Ah! It is easy to go veggie when there is no competition.

When you visit me next time, remind me to cook tofu for you. Of course it will be different, and better, *wink* my estyle....Nobody can beat my cooking estyle, for that I am sure. *giving you a happy grin*

Boarders at war

Early morning while brushing my teeth, my boarder says “What time can you be free? I want to talk to you”

Now, I am at home most time of the day, from Mondays to Fridays, unless I have some important errands to do. Nobody needs any appointment to talk to me.

I tell her “Shoot, I am all ears.”

“No, first you get free then I have to tell you something.” She says and she disappears into her room.

I quickly rinse my mouth, wash my face, towel it and walk into her room.

“What is it?” I ask

“Is there no discipline in this house? Don’t you have any rules for your boarders?” she says.

I do have rules for the boarders who occupy my spare room. There are only three main rules which I expect my boarders to follow: Tidy up the kitchen after use, be back home before 12 midnight and none of their visitors are allowed inside my house.

I looked at her in askance on introducing some more rules.

“I am unhappy with my room mate” she says, “She is watching TV late nights, sometimes up to 2am, continuously shifting channels. I cannot sleep with flickering lights. Is there no discipline in this house? I think you should introduce strict hours for watching TV. I suggest that there should be no TV after 11pm.”

Just then her room mate emerges from bathroom and enters the room.

“Look, here is complain, your room mate is unhappy about your late night TV hours” I tell her

“And I am too,” she says.

“Now, what complain do you have?” I ask her

“I am uncomfortable because she is too lazy and keeps her part of the area too untidy. I don’t like clutter in this room but she won’t listen.”

I look around and I understand what she means. The bed-sheet is wrinkled; the dressing table is cluttered with books, water-bottles, combs, creams, medicines, etc.

“Cluttered room is cluttered mind’” I tell her, “Lets make a deal. You keep your room clean and she will put off TV by 11p.m”

Then follows the argument for next ten minutes: insensitivity towards each other’s comfort (you don’t understand my problems), lack of communication (why didn’t you tell me first?), compromise (I will do it your way only if you do it mine)

Today, their room was clean and tidy, the lights have gone off at 11pm.

Silence!